Socket for plug-in lamps



Nov. 15, 1966 w, HAGNER 3,286,215

SOCKET FOR PLUG'IN LAMPS Filed Nov. 18, 1963 F/ Fig. 2

a5 36 a4 5 M 4 /5 /6 MT 5 'Tm 5- s 4 a3 28 a7 /7 29 27:? /9 L INVENTOR BW/LL/ HAG/VER A/fomeys United States Patent 11 Claims. (Cl. 339-32 Thisinvention relates to a socket for a light bulb having a tubular basethereon, and particularly to sockets of this nature for bulbs in whichthe bases are provided with bayonet locking means.

Lamp sockets of this general nature are, of course, known and operate byurging the bulb outwardly of the socket to retain it in place after thebayonet locking means are in place. customarily, the spring means forurging the bulb outwardly is embodied in the contact element or elementswhich the bulb engages when introduced into the socket and which contactelements conduct current to the bulb filament.

In connection with certain bulbs of this nature, the positioning of thebulb in the socket is of the utmost importance. For example, withprojectors and light actuated devices involving photocells and the like,it can become extremely important for the bulb to be accurratelysupported with its filament in a predetermined precise location relativeto some other element with which it is to cooperate. Bulbs that might beused in such circumstances are of two types. One type can be referred toas a precentered bulb which has a mounting flange or ring thereonadapted for cooperation with a socket in such a manner that merelyplacing the bulb in the socket effects the required precise positioningthereof. This comes about, of course, because the mounting flange orring is precisely located relative to the bulb filament and the socketis provided with surfaces for engagement with the flange or ring to holdthe bulb in a precise position.

With other bulbs of this nature, pins are provided on the base forcooperation with the bayonet locking means of the socket and there is noprecise exact orientation between the pins and the bulb filament. In thecase of bulbs of this nature it is important to have some way ofadjusting the bulb position after it is mounted in the socket thereby toprovide for precise positioning after the bulb is in the socket.

The sockets for this purpose, however, must be relatively compact and becapable of mounting in a stationary structure. The socket shouldtherefore have a minimum outside diameter and should be able to receivethe base of the bulb with relatively little play. Heretofore, socketshave been made for one type of bulb or the other, but no socket has beenprovided in which either type of bulb namely, a precentered bulb or anon-precentered bulb can be mounted with means being provided foreffecting accurate precise positioning in the socket of either type ofbulb.

The present invention proposes the provision of a single unitary socketelement capable of receiving either of the aforementioned types ofbulbs.

In general, the present invention provides within the socket independentsets of abutment means with one of the sets of abutment means pertainingto a precentered bulb and the other set of abutment means pertaining tobulbs that are non-precentered. In the first case, the abutment means inthe socket is a fixed abutment ring, whereas for bulbs that are notprecentered the abutment means is in the form of a movable abutmentring.

The two abutment rings are at different levels and a single set ofcontacts within the socket is provided to 3,285,215 Patented Nov. 15,1966 supply electric-a1 energy to any bulb mounted therein.

In both cases, the connection of the bulb with the socket is by way of abayonet joint so that either type of bulb can be mounted in the socketin the same manner, namely, by inserting the bulb base into the socketand then turning the bulb a predetermined amount.

The exact nature of the present invention and the several advantagesoffered thereby will be perceived upon reference to the followingspecification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view through a socket arrangementaccording to the present invention mounted in a stationary supportingelement and mounted in the socket as a precentered bulb;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing anon-precentered bulb in the socket;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view indicated by line III III on FIGURE 1 andshowing the locking and locating means in the socket for a precenteredbulb;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view showing at enlarged scale locatingsurfaces provided in the circuit for a precentered bulb;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of a precentered bulb, and

FIGURE 6 is a view looking up at the bulb of FIG- URE 5 showing themounting and locating ring on the precentered bulb of FIGURE 5.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, a stationarysupporting structure 1 is provided which has a hole therethrough forreceiving the socket structure according to the present invention. Thesocket structure comprises an outer tubular shell part 2 having at itsupper open end an inwardly extending flange 4 forming an abutment ring.The inside diameter of the flange is large enough freely to receive thebase 8 :of the light bulb 3. Mounted on base 8 near the bulb end thereofis an adjustment ring or flange 9 for cooperation with the albutlmentring of shell 2.

As will .be seen in FIGURES 3 and 6, flange means 4 and also ring 9 isinterrupted about the periphery so that the ring 9 can pass through theflange. The interruption of the periphery of flange 4 serves to provideit with the portions 5 extending inwardly toward the axis of the socket.With respect to the ring on the base of the bulb, the portions indicatedat 7 are cut therefrom and the ring can now pass into the mount of thesocket, whereupon rotation of the bulb will bring the portions '5 intoengagement with the uninterrupted peripheral portions of ring 9.

The shell 2 is also preferably provided with a pin 15 which can bereceived in one portion 7 of ring 9 so that the bulb can easily beinserted in the socket in the proper oriented position. The mark 6 onthe bulb can at that time be availed of to facilitate inserting the bulbin the socket in the properly rotated position. After the bulb isinserted in the socket, rotation of the bulb can be availed of to bringpin 15 into the region of the notch 14 of ring 9, and this will locatethe ring and bulb accurately angularly.

The extreme end of base 8 carries contact elements and these areen-gageable with contact elements 28 and 29 carried by body 27 withinshell 2. Spring means 30 biases contact elements 28 and 29 in adirection to urge these contacts routwardly while maintaining goodelectrical contact between contact elements 28 and 29 and the contactelements on the base of the bulb.

Reference to FIGURES 1 through 5 will show that inside the upper end ofsleeve 2 there is provided a cylindrical surface 11 adapted for closefitting engagement with the peripheral surface 12 \of ring 9 while theunderside 10 of the portions 5 are adapted for engagement with the uppersurface of ring 9 ion the bulb. These two positioning means, acting onring 9, together with the bias of springs 30 operate to hold the ringand, therefore, the bulb in the socket accurately positioned thereinlaterally and longitudinally, while other means are provided to engagethe ring to locate the ring accurately in an angular direction. Inasmuchas the bulb filament is exactly located relative to ring 9 of the bulb,it Will be evident that the bulb filament is precisely and accuratelysupported.

Mounted Within tubular shell 2 is a sleeve-like element 17 having at itsupper end adjacent the upper end of shell 2, an external rib end 16fitting relatively closely inside shell 2. This ri'b has a rounded outeredge 18 that is freely movable along the cylindrical inner wall of shell2.

The sleeve 17 at its end opposite rib 16 is provided with a bottom end20 having a spherical lower surface 20 which engages a correspondinglyshaped holder 21 fixed to the inner wall of shell 2. The center ofcurvature of the spherical bearing thus formed is in about the plane ofrib 16. This bearing provides means for tilting cylinder 17 in shell 2while rib 16 prevents any substantial amount of lateral movement of theupper arm of the sleeve in the shell.

The bottom of cylinder 17 has a threaded projection 23 extending throughthe aperture 22 in holder 21 which is substantially larger in diameterthan projection 23. Projection 23 threadedly receives clamp nut 24 whichcan be loosened to permit adjustment of sleeve 17 in shell 2 and drawnup tight to clamp the sleeve in its adjusted position in the shell. Thenut when tightened up clampingly engages the lower surface 25 of holder21.

Threaded portion 23 is preferably hollow and receives lead-in cable 26that has conductors connected to contact elements 28 and 29.

Located within sleeve 17, and having a certain freedom of lateral andaxial movement therein, is an intermediate ring 33 that Will receive thebase 8 of a bulb placed in the socket. This ring is provided with slotmeans for receiving pin 31, 32 that are provided on the base 34 of thenon-precentered Ibulb 35 of FIGURE 2. The pins 31 and 32 are adapted forbeing received in intermediate ring 33 by Way of bayonet slots in theintermediate ring and which terminate in abutments 36 so that when thebulb is in the intermediate ring it is accurately located angularlytherein. The intermediate ring can be held in the sleeve againstrotation to facilitate inserting the bulb therein. A certin freedom ofmovement of axial ring 33 in sleeve 17 is provided by the abutment 37 inthe sleeve.

The upper end of sleeve 17 is rovided with the inwardly extendingannular flange 38 that is adapted for engaging the upper end of ring 33.Flange 38 thus provides an abutment surface or ring within the socketwhich cooperates with the upper end of intermediate ring 33, and whenthe bulb is under the influence of spring means 30, will accuratelylocate the bulb on the axis of sleeve 17. After the bulb is mounted inthe socket as shown in FIGURE 2, the sleeve 17 can be tilted in shell 2as previously described thereby to obtain precise locating of the bulb.Sleeve 17 can be clamped in rotated positions in shell 2 to turn thebulb.

The arrangement of the present invention thus provides a socket adaptedfor receiving either precentered or non-precentered bulbs andcharacterized in that individual abutment means are provided within thesocket for the respective types of bulbs, and with at least one of theabutment means being adjustable Within the socket structure to providefor precise positioning of the bulb pertaining thereto in the socket.One and the same set of contact means in the socket supply electricalenergy for either type of bulb mounted therein, and spring means areprovided in the socket common to both types of bulbs for urging thebulbs toward their respective abutment means.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to different usages and conditions; andaccordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within thisinvention as may fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A socket for a lamp bulb having a tubular base comprising; an outershell element having an opening at one end into which the base of a bulbcan be inserted, an intermediate ring independent from and movable Withrespect to the shell to receive the base of the bulb inserted into saidopening in the end of said shell, and cooperating elements of a bayonetlocking and locating means formed on said base of the bulb and on saidintermediate ring and the said one end of said shell for selectivelylocating the bulb relative to the shell and including abutment means forretaining the bulb in the shell, the elements of said means on saidintermediate ring being different from the elements of said means onsaid shell.

2. A socket for a lamp bulb having a tubular base comprising; an outershell element having an opening at one end into which the base of a bulbcan be inserted, an intermediate ring independent from and movable withrespect to the shell to receive the base of the bulb inserted into saidopening in the end of said shell, and cooperating elements of a bayonetlocking and locating means formed on said base of the bulb and on saidintermediate ring and the said one end of said shell for selectivelylocating the bulb relative to the shell and including abutment means forretaining the bulb in the shell, the elements of said means on saidintermediate ring being different from the elements of said mean-s onsaid shell, contact means on the end of the base of the bulb and contactelement means in the shell engageable therewith for supplying energy tothe bulb, and springs acting on said contact element means to press thecontact element means against said contact means and to retain at leastthe abutment means of said bayonet locking and locating means inoperative engagement.

3. A socket for a lamp bulb having a tubular base comprising; an outershell element having an opening at one end into which the base of a bulbcan be inserted, an intermediate ring independent from and movable withrespect to the shell to receive the base of the bulb inserted into saidopening in the end of said shell, and cooperating elements of a bayonetlocking and locating means formed on said base of the bulb and on saidintermediate ring and the said one end of said shell for selectivelylocating the bulb relative to the shell and including abutment means forretaining the bulb in the shell, the elements of said means on saidintermediate ring being different from the elements of said means onsaid shell, contact means on the end of the base of the bulb and contactelement means in the shell engageable therewith for supplying energy tothe bulb, and springs acting on said contact element means to press thecontact element means against said contact means and to retain at leastthe abutment means of said bayonet locking and locating means inoperative engagement, said bayonet locking and locating means comprisingan inwardly extending flange on said one end of the shell and a ring onthe base of the bulb larger in diameter than the inside diameter of theflange on the shell, both said flange and ring having peripheralcut-outs to permit them to pass by one another in one rotated positionof the bulb, and a cylindrical surface in the shell to engage theperipheral edge of the ring to hold the bulb centered in the shell, saidring having a precise predetermined position with respect to the bulbfilament.

4. A socket for a lamp bulb having a tubular base comprising; an outershell element having an opening at one end into which the base of a bulbcan be inserted, an intermediate ring independent from and movable withrespect to the shell to receive the base of the bulb inserted into saidopening in the end of said shell, and cooperating elements of a bayonetlocking and locating means formed on said base of the bulb and on saidintermediate ring and the said one end of said shell for selectivelylocating the bulb relative to the shell and including abutment means forretaining the bulb in the shell, the elements of said means on saidintermediate ring being different from the elements of said means onsaid shell, contact means on the end of the base of the bulb and contactelement means in the shell engageable therewith for supplying energy tothe bulb, and springs acting on said contact element means to press thecontact element means against said contact means and to retain at leastthe abutment means of said bayonet locking and locating means inoperative engagement, said bayonet locking and locating mean-scomprising an inwardly extending flange on said one end of the shell anda ring on the base of the bulb larger in diameter than the insidediameter of the flange on the shell, both said flange and ring havingperipheral cut-outs to permit them to pass by one another in one rotatedposition of the bulb, and a cylindrical surface in the shell to engagethe peripheral edge of the ring to hold the bulb centered in the shell,said ring having a precise predetermined position with respect to thebulb filament, said cylindrical surface being located immediately insidethe flange on the shell and said flange and ring having cooperatinglateral surfaces forming the said abutment means and engageable when thering is passed by the flange and the bulb is rotated from said oneposition and is released to the influence of said spring means.

5. The socket according to claim 4 wherein the said ring on the base ofthe bulb and said shell are provided with interengageable means topredetermine the rotated position of said bulb in the socket.

6. A socket for a lamp bulb having a tubular base comprising; an outershell element having an opening at one end into which the base of a bulbcan be inserted, an intermediate ring in the shell to receive the baseof the bulb inserted into said opening in the end of said shell, andcooperating elements of a bayonet locking and locating means formed onsaid base of the bulb and on said intermediate ring and the said one endof said shell for selectively locating the bulb relative to the shelland including abutment means for retaining the bulb in the shell,contact means on the end of the base of the bulb and contact elementmeans in the shell engageable therewith for supplying energy to thebulb, and springs acting on said contact element means to press thecontact element means against said contact means and to retain at leastthe abutment means of said bayonet locking and locating means inoperative engagement, said bayonet locking and locating means comprisingpins on the bulb base and slots in the intermediate ring to receive saidpins and the said abutment means including sleeve means in the shellsurrounding said intermediate ring and having a flange on the end towardopen end of the shell for abutting engagement with said intermediatering.

7. The socket according to claim 6 in which said sleeve means istiltably supported in said shell to provide for adjustment of the axisof the bulb relative to the axis of the shell.

8. The socket according to claim 6 in which spherical bearing means isprovided between the shell and the end of the sleeve means opposite theflanged end thereof to permit tilting of the sleeve means in the shell,and means for clamping the sleeve means to the shell in adjustedposition therein.

9. The socket according to claim 8 wherein said sleeve means at theflanged end has an annular external rib fitting closely within saidshell while the center of curvature of said spherical bearing is on theaxis of said sleeve means in about the plane of said rib.

10. The socket according to claim 9 wherein said intermediate ring haslimited lateral and axial movement in said sleeve means.

11. A socket for bulbs having tubular bases comprising; a tubular shellhaving first and second annular abutment surfaces facing inwardlythereof in the region of one end, means for operatively engaging a bulbbase with one of said surfaces, said first surface being fixed in saidshell and said second surface being tiltable in said shell, said secondsurface including sleeve means in said shell surrounding an intermediatering and having a flange on the end toward the open end of said shellfor abutting engagement with the intermediate ring, contact means in theshell for engagement with a bulb in the socket, and spring meanspertaining to the contact means to urge the bulb engaged thereby towardthe respective abutment surface engaged by the bulb.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,932,265 10/1933Douglas.

FOREIGN PATENTS 560,858 10/1923 France.

596,258 10/1925 France.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Examiner.

J. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SOCKET FOR A LAMP BULB HAVING A TUBULAR BASE COMPRISING; AN OUTERSHELL ELEMENT HAVING AN OPENING AT ONE END INTO WHICH THE BASE OF A BULBCAN BE INSERTED, AN INTERMEDIATE RING INDEPENDENT FROM THE MOVABLE WITHRESPECT TO THE SHELL TO RECEIVE THE BASE OF THE BULB INSERTED INTO SAIDOPENING IN THE END OF SAID SHELL, AND COOPERATING ELEMENTS OF A BAYONETLOCKING AND LOCATING MEANS FORMED ON SAID BASE OF THE BULB AND ON SAIDINTERMEDIATE RING AND THE SAID ONE END OF SAID SHELL FOR SELECTIVELYLOCATING THE BULB RELATIVE TO THE SHELL AND INCLUDING ABUTMENT MEANS FORRETAINING THE BULB IN THE SHELL, THE ELEMENTS OF SAID MEANS ON SAIDINTERMEDIATE RING BEING DIFFERENT FROM THE ELEMENTS OF SAID MEANS ONSAID SHELL.